Molecular Devices Launches Fura-2 QBT Calcium Kit for Detecting and Quantitating Changes in Intracellular Calcium

Molecular Devices® today announced the launch of its Fura-2 QBT™ Calcium Kit. This new kit combines the calcium indicator Fura-2 with Molecular Devices’ proprietary masking technology to provide a fast, simple, and reliable ratiometric fluorescence-based assay for detecting and quantitating changes in intracellular calcium.

Utilizing Molecular Devices’ masking technology, the Fura-2 QBT Calcium Kit significantly reduces background fluorescence in media around the cells, enabling researchers to more easily detect signal from within the cell, giving more accurate results. Moreover, the new kit eliminates the need for wash protocols, thus saving time and further improving data quality.

Leveraging the advantages of Fura-2 over other calcium indicators, the dye is excited at two different wavelengths, enabling ratiometric measurement of calcium flux to minimize the impact of assay variances caused by uneven dye loading, leakage or cell density. The Fura-2 QBT Calcium Kit enables detection of the largest signal window available for Fura-2, and allows scientists to interrogate low-density, weakly or non-adherent cells.

Kevin Chance, President of Molecular Devices, commented: “Molecular Devices is fully committed to providing fully validated assay solutions, including tailored reagents and kits. We are continually discussing our customers’ needs in order to develop a range of reagents, instruments and assay protocols that fully support their research. We will be expanding our range of reagents over the coming months delivering not only the complete solution, but individual components for maximum flexibility and convenience.”

The Fura-2 QBT Calcium Kit is validated for use on FlexStation® 3 and FLIPR® Tetra Systems.